Quantitative Analysis Village Spatial Morphology Using “SPSS + GIS” Approach: A Case Study of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsWork paper in a scientific and practical sense, but some elements lack some additional input parameters for the application of quantitative analysis of the spatial morphology of the village.
Question for the authors, regarding the chapter Elements Influencing Traditional Village Spatial Distribution Why didn't you take some other static or dynamic parameters that would affect the traditional distribution of villages?
One of the important dynamic parameters is land cover and land use, and in addition, some other natural risks and hazards such as soil erosion, landslide maps, flash flood maps, and forest fire maps have a great influence.
From the static parameters, I would mention the slope of the terrain as one of the key parameters, then we have the exposure of the terrain, vertical breakdown, Topographic wetness index, LS factor, and geological and pedological characteristics.
Author Response
Comments 1: Work paper in a scientific and practical sense, but some elements lack some additional input parameters for the application of quantitative analysis of the spatial morphology of the village.
Response 1: Thank you for pointing this out. This article is rather informative in its treatment of the variables of the study of the spatial pattern of the village, so only the final data of the quantitative indicators are presented in the article.
Comments 2: Question for the authors, regarding the chapter Elements Influencing Traditional Village Spatial Distribution Why didn't you take some other static or dynamic parameters that would affect the traditional distribution of villages?
Response 2: Thank you for pointing this out. Because this paper adopts the "SPSS + GIS" research method in the traditional village spatial form of the factors affecting the content of the initial exploration, the choice of factors affecting the traditional villages in Linxia State, combined with the existing literature analysis as well as the understanding of the history of the development of Linxia State, summarizes the natural and social factors, such as altitude, rivers, transportation, ancient trade, and ethnicity.
Comments 3: One of the important dynamic parameters is land cover and land use, and in addition, some other natural risks and hazards such as soil erosion, landslide maps, flash flood maps, and forest fire maps have a great influence.
Response 3: I agree with your point of view. Although I considered all of these factors when writing the text, the research for this paper is primarily guided by the theoretical underpinnings of architecture because it is based on an architectural perspective. For the deeper influencing factors such as soil erosion, mountain flood maps, landslide maps, etc., I need to look for collaborators in the research direction of geography in further work and jointly carry out research on this part of the content. Therefore, I understand the problem you pointed out very well, and I have sorted out the contents of the manuscript again and added the content of the superposition analysis of land use and sample traditional villages in the part about influencing factors. For specifics on the modifications, see Section 4.5.2. (Line 664-675, page 21-22).
Comments 4: From the static parameters, I would mention the slope of the terrain as one of the key parameters, then we have the exposure of the terrain, vertical breakdown, Topographic wetness index, LS factor, and geological and pedological characteristics.
Response 4: I agree with your point of view. For this reason, I am including the overlaid analysis plot of slope vs. sample villages in Section 4.5.1 of the resubmitted manuscript. (Line 631-642, page 20-21). However, the study in this paper is primarily from the architectural profession; therefore, it is not very good at assessing the aspects you have identified as affecting factors, including terrain exposure, vertical subdivision, and terrain humidity index. Therefore, I will continue to improve my cognitive and practical ability to study the comprehensiveness of village space in my subsequent work.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThis Manuscript presents interesting and well-elaborated research about the Quantitative Analysis of Village Spatial Morphology in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. However, some clarifications are needed to improve the Manuscript further.
In this Manuscript, the emphasis is given to the commercial software SPSS and ArcGIS. Why is that important for this analysis? Could this approach also be performed using free software like R and QGIS, or are these professional software (SPSS and ArcGIS) crucial for this research?
Maybe you can write in a more general way like this approach is based on using statistical and GIS software. What did you actually calculate using SPSS?
Author Response
Comments 1: This Manuscript presents interesting and well-elaborated research about the Quantitative Analysis of Village Spatial Morphology in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. However, some clarifications are needed to improve the Manuscript further.
Response 1: Thank you for pointing this out. In the resubmitted manuscript, I expanded the content of Section 1 to more clearly and accurately express the research background, scientific problems, and significance. (page 1-4). In Section 4.5, the content of slope and land use is added to the part on influence factors, and this part is analyzed comprehensively. This is crucial for strengthening my thesis and supporting my conclusion. (page 20-22).
Comments 2: In this Manuscript, the emphasis is given to the commercial software SPSS and ArcGIS. Why is that important for this analysis? Could this approach also be performed using free software like R and QGIS, or are these professional software (SPSS and ArcGIS) crucial for this research?
Response 2: Thank you for pointing this out. In addition, choosing the method of "SPSS+GIS" to study the spatial pattern and distribution characteristics of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture is a layer-by-layer, in-depth, and logical analysis method. Firstly, the spatial morphological characteristics of villages can be analyzed using the micro-morphological quantitative index. Secondly, the quantitative indicators of the sample villages were categorized and analyzed with the help of SPSS software. Thirdly, GIS software is used to study the spatial distribution of village types, and the GIS overlay analysis method is used to explore the rules and influencing factors of the spatial distribution of village types. Fourthly, the results of the above research are used to deduce the survival mode and pattern behind the traditional villages. Finally, it provides a useful reference for the development and protection of traditional villages in Linxia. Cluster analysis is an exploratory analysis performed with unknown classification criteria. The cluster analysis method uses SPSS software, and from the software's point of view, it is used to categorize selected quantitative indicators based on a combination of various variables measured by the distance and similarity between the sample data, which ultimately results in a cluster analysis genealogical chart. The magnitude of the distance is labeled at the top of the genealogical chart, which requires an artificial choice of the coefficient of the distance d. In this paper, it is the choice of d=15 that yields a more reasonable classification of villages. Therefore, based on the classification results obtained from d=15, the characteristics of different types of villages were further analyzed. ArcGIS 10.7 software will be better at handling data for various impact factors as well as spatial analysis, and it supports more data types. Therefore, the research method of "SPSS+GIS" in this paper is very important.
Comments 3: Maybe you can write in a more general way like this approach is based on using statistical and GIS software. What did you actually calculate using SPSS?
Response 3: Thank you for pointing this out. SPSS, as statistical software, is an effective management and statistics tool for existing data. In this paper, SPSS software is used for cluster analysis of traditional village quantitative indicators, and the results can be better understood and presented by generating graphs for the statistical analysis of village types. The title is in the form of "SPSS+CIS" research methodology, which allows the reader to visualize the methodology and techniques used in this paper.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsPlease see the attached
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Comments 1: Consider adding a brief definition of traditional villages to provide a clearer understanding for readers who may not be familiar with the concept. (Paragraph 1)
Response 1: I agree with you on this point. I have added a clearer definition of traditional Chinese villages that can help readers better understand traditional Chinese villages. (Line 35-42, page 1).
Comments 2: Expand on the discussion of the "vernacular authenticity" of traditional villages and how this contributes to their cultural significance. (Paragraph 2)
Response 2: Thank you for pointing this out. Given that China is a developing country and that China's economic development has soared over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, the economic and social development of the northwestern region has made remarkable progress. However, due to the limited resource endowment, fragile ecological environment, and insufficient financial and human resources in the northwestern region, economic development still suffers from a wide gap between regional and urban-rural development. In the statistical bulletin of the National Economic and Social Development of Linxia in 2022, it is pointed out that the urbanization rate of Linxia is 39.02% (https://www.linxia.gov.cn/lxz/zwgk/bmxxgkpt/lxztjj/fdzdgknr/tjsj/tjgb/art/2023/art_1c876c8d037f4cf089ebe4325d08a45d.html), which is still a big gap compared with the average urbanization rate of 65.2% in China. As of right now, Linxia Prefecture still has a sizable number of traditional villages that uphold the "authenticity of the countryside," the laws of natural development, the farming mode of production, and the modest living standards of the villagers. Therefore, the discussion on the "local authenticity" of traditional villages in Linxia can penetrate the unique national heritage and provide reference data for the protection and development of traditional villages. The updated manuscript included a detailed response to this query. (Line 78-91, page 2).
Comments 3: Ensure consistency in citation format (e.g., APA, MLA) throughout the introduction for a polished and professional presentation.
Response 3: Thank you for pointing this out. The references were formatted consistently in the resubmitted manuscript.
Comments 4: Clearly state how the current study extends or diverges from prior works.
Response 4: Thank you for pointing this out. In the revised manuscript, I have more clearly articulated the differences between the content and methodology of the current traditional village study and the work of previous studies, as well as the role that the current traditional village study plays in the sustainable development of the village and in its future renewal and transformation. By describing this issue in detail in the manuscript, it makes the manuscript clearer in terms of logical hierarchy. See the manuscript for specific revisions. (Line 92-103, pages 2-3).
Comments 5: Specify whether there are novel methodological approaches, additional variables considered, or different geographic regions studied.
Response 5: Thank you for pointing this out. The innovation of this research method is to combine the precise representation of microfractures of quantitative indicators of village spatial morphology with clustering + GIS analysis, which is a distillation based on the existing practical research of traditional villages in eastern China. GIS, clustering, fractal, and other quantitative descriptive indicators to quantify its shape characteristics and the distribution of the constituent elements of the distribution of state, to explore the development and change rules of the traditional village morphology under the influence of various factors, to provide a scientific basis for the planning and layout of the traditional villages, renovation and utilization, and repair and protection of the decision-making, has become a common mode of spatial morphology analysis of traditional villages and research. This is a great inspiration and reference for exploring the traditional villages in Linxia. Nonetheless, given the complexity of the Linxia region, it is imperative to identify traditional village form indicators that are more appropriate for this type of region. As a result, this study attempts to reinvent the research methodology to better examine regional cultural and geographical variations from a macro perspective, in addition to precisely describing the spatial shape of traditional villages and grasping their regularity characteristics correspondingly. This study is not only conducive to grasping the law and internal mechanisms of the development of traditional villages in Linxia but can also be extended to the Longxi ethnic corridor, which is closely related to the natural, human, and historical background of Linxia. This is also the relevant research content of this paper's grant, "Research on the Evolution Mechanism and Symbiosis Mode of Traditional Dwellings in the Longxi Ethnic Corridor" of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Please refer to the manuscript for details. (Line 130-162, pages 3-4).
Comments 6: Provide a brief synthesis or critical analysis of how the findings from Liu, Lin, and Yao contribute to the broader understanding of Linxia's traditional villages.
Response 6: Thank you for pointing this out. It can be seen from Liu's research results that traditional villages are mainly influenced by the natural environment, landscape patterns, and traditional planning and layout ideas. Lin's general overview highlights that the traditional villages in the region are of the mountain terrace type, based on the inherent physical characteristics of the villages in Linxia Prefecture. Yao's is a case study of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture, involving the use of quantitative indicators to characterize village morphology, but this is limited to case studies. Therefore, the combination of the above findings inspired me to launch a study on the uniqueness of the spatial form of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture from a holistic perspective. Please refer to the revised manuscript for details. (Line 172-176, page 4).
Comments 7: Clearly articulate the specific gap in the existing literature that this research intends to fill. Additionally, explicitly state how addressing this gap will contribute to the broader field of knowledge and understanding.
Response 7: I agree with you on this point. In the resubmitted manuscript. I have made a more intuitive and accurate expression of the specific gaps that the content of this study will fill. (Line 178-194, page 4). In addition, this study fills in the gaps in the quantitative research on the spatial form of traditional villages in Linxia, indicating that the research perspective pays attention to the minority traditional villages in the multi-ethnic coexisting areas in northwest China and the relatively underdeveloped economy, which is a supplement to the research content of traditional villages in China. Moreover, the use of quantitative indicators to study the spatial patterns of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture can be used as a reference for the study of traditional villages in northwestern China, which is more conducive to the conservation and sustainable development of traditional villages in northwestern China.
Comments 8: The paper has two subtitles named: study area.
Response 8: I'm sorry, maybe my expression is not clear and accurate, which may cause misunderstanding. In my subtitle, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture is a proper term; he refers to this autonomous prefecture, and the official name is Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. So there are not two study areas.
Comments 9: For figure 1 cite the software you used like: ArcGIS pro, …
Response 9: The software used in Figure 1 is version 10.7 of ArcGIS. Acquisition of China's administrative boundary data and Linxia Prefecture's administrative boundary data on the Data V. Geo Atlas (http://datav.aliyun.com/portal/school/atlas/area_selector) platform batch conversion of traditional village latitude and longitude with the help of Map Location (https://maplocation.sjfkai.com/). The administrative boundary data of Linxia Prefecture and the latitude and longitude data of the sample villages were imported into ArcGIS 10.7 software. Finally, export Figure 1.
Comments 10: In figure 1 divided it to a, b, and c and explain each individually.
Response 10: Thank you for pointing this out. Subdivide the contents of Figure 1 into a, b, and c in the resubmitted manuscript and interpret each legend separately. Please refer to Subsection 2.1 for the specific changes. (Line 219-222, page 5).
Comments 11: Using drone technology and Google Earth Pro…. how? explain.
Response 11: Thank you for pointing this out. In this article, a DJI-brand drone is used to connect the drone remote control to the cell phone. Open the DJI Fly app on the mobile phone, click Go Fly to enter the flight interface, click the take-off button, set the flight height to 1500 meters, adjust the shooting angle of the drone to the required range, click the shooting button, and the drone will automatically take pictures and save the pictures to the mobile phone album. The traditional village pattern map can be obtained by exporting the photos on the mobile phone. To learn about the operation of Google Earth Pro software, first of all, open Google Earth Pro and select "Boundaries and Place Names" in the right sidebar. Type "village name" in the search box, and Google Maps will automatically pinpoint the rough location. At this time, we use the mouse to adjust the screen to the required size, take a screenshot, and save the picture in jpg format. After that, the picture is drawn and edited. The above covers the process of using the drone and Google Maps.
Comments 12: Figure 3: how did you create it? Explain about that. You just mention the name of figure in the text.
Response 12: Thank you for pointing this out. Figure 3 was produced with the help of aerial drone maps. First, import the aerial photograph of the village into Adobe Photoshop software. Next, the village boundaries and roads were drawn using the Pen tool in Adobe Photoshop software. Finally, save the image in jpg format.
Comments 13:
Original:
"Villages exhibiting a clustered pattern align with an 'olive-shaped' spatial distribution that extends from southeast to northwest in congruence with the historical Tang-Tibentan Road."
Suggested Correction:
"Villages that exhibit a clustered pattern follow an 'olive-shaped' spatial distribution. This pattern extends from southeast to northwest, aligning with the historical Tang-Tibetan Road."
Response 13: I agree with the changes you have given. Substitutions were made in the resubmitted manuscript and highlighted in purple. Refer to subsection 4.5.4 for details. (Line 705-707, page 23).
Comments 14:
Original:
"In Linxia Prefecture, the historical overlay of stagecoaches and ancient trade routes with the sampled villages unveils the relationship between village types and these historical pathways."
Suggested Correction:
"In Linxia Prefecture, analyzing the overlay of historical stagecoaches and trade routes with sampled villages reveals the relationship between different village types and their historical pathways."
Response 14: I agree with the changes you have given. Substitutions were made in the resubmitted manuscript and highlighted in purple. Refer to subsection 4.5.4 for details. (Line 703-705, page 23).
Comments 15:
Original:
"These settlements also adapted to the commercial needs of the Hui people evolving distinct zones for public commerce and private living."
Suggested Correction:
"These settlements adapted to the Hui people's commercial needs by developing distinct zones for public commerce and private living."
Response 15: I agree with the changes you have given. Substitutions were made in the resubmitted manuscript and highlighted in purple. Refer to subsection 5.2.1 for details. (Line 882-884, page 27).
Comments 16: The conclusion reiterates the study's findings but could be more concise in summarizing the key insights. Can the authors succinctly articulate the primary contributions of their research?
Response 16: Thank you for pointing this out. According to your suggestion, I have made appropriate deletions to the conclusion, please refer to subsection 6 for details of the changes. (Line 959-982, page 29). The main contribution of this paper's research is to fill the gaps in the quantification of the spatial patterns of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture, which is the first exploration of the quantitative study of traditional villages in the Longxi ethnic corridor, moreover, it is a supplement to the study of the spatial patterns of traditional villages in China.
Comments 17: The paper should ensure consistency in the formatting of references. For instance, some references include full names of journals or publishers, while others are abbreviated or inconsistent. This inconsistency can lead to confusion and detract from the paper's professionalism.
Response 17: Thank you for pointing this out. I have carefully revised the format of the references. In this paper, references in the format of journals, books, web pages, conferences, etc., have been used, and the format of the literature has now been standardized according to the journal requirements and the published paper literature used as references. But the publishers of Chinese books don't have abbreviations. Please refer to the manuscript for specific modifications. (pages 29-32).
Comments 18: While the "SPSS+GIS" methodology is a robust approach, there is a lack of detailed discussion on its limitations and the reasons for choosing it over other potential methods. This gap leaves questions about the comprehensiveness of the approach and its comparative effectiveness.
Response 18: Thank you for pointing this out. In Section 5.1.1 of the revised manuscript, I added the limitations of the research method itself and the limitations of the "SPSS+GIS" method in the study of traditional village space. (Line 820-836, page 26). In addition, choosing the method of "SPSS+GIS" to study the spatial pattern and distribution characteristics of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture is a layer-by-layer, in-depth, and logical analysis method. Firstly, the spatial morphological characteristics of villages can be analyzed using the micro-morphological quantitative index. Secondly, the quantitative indicators of the sample villages were categorized and analyzed with the help of SPSS software. Thirdly, GIS software is used to study the spatial distribution of village types, and the GIS overlay analysis method is used to explore the rules and influencing factors of the spatial distribution of village types. Fourthly, the results of the above research are used to deduce the survival mode and pattern behind the traditional villages. Finally, it provides a useful reference for the development and protection of traditional villages in Linxia.
Comments 19: Some conclusions drawn in the paper may appear oversimplified or lacking in-depth validation. Providing more nuanced interpretations and acknowledging the complexities inherent in spatial analysis would strengthen the validity of the conclusions.
Response 19: I agree with you on this point. The spatial study of traditional villages is indeed very complicated. Because only the main variables are selected for the study, this paper is a preliminary discussion on the gaps in the research methodology of "SPSS+GIS" in the field of spatial morphology and distribution of traditional villages in China. However, due to the many levels and subsystems of the villages and the strong spatial and dynamic characteristics of all kinds of data and information, the consideration of different variables or the study and validation of more factors cannot be fully developed within the limited volume of this paper, and it will be the next step in the plan of work to enhance the scientific reasonableness of the research in this area. (Line 930-947, page 28). In addition, the slope and land use analyses have been added to the section on influencing factors in Section 4.5 of the paper to provide a more in-depth justification of the findings from the perspective of influencing factors. ( pages 20-22).
Comments 20: The paper may include extensive historical and cultural background information, which, while contextually enriching, might not directly contribute to the scientific analysis of spatial morphology. Ensuring that all information directly contributes to the core analysis would enhance the paper's focus and relevance.
Response 20: Thank you for pointing this out. The spatial morphological characteristics of traditional villages are the result of the comprehensive action of many natural factors and human and social factors, and there are causal relationships among these factors, which constitute an interconnected system. The historical and culture-related analysis is one of the humanistic and social factors, and it is also from this perspective to confirm the results obtained by the quantitative index data analysis in this paper. Therefore, I believe that the factors of culture and history are essential in arguing the causes of spatial patterns and the validity of the conclusions.
Comments 21: Could you elaborate on the specific criteria used in the SPSS cluster analysis for categorizing traditional village types?
Response 21: Thank you for pointing this out. Cluster analysis is an exploratory analysis performed with unknown classification criteria. The cluster analysis method uses SPSS software, and from the software's point of view, it is used to categorize selected quantitative indicators based on a combination of various variables measured by the distance and similarity between the sample data, which ultimately results in a cluster analysis genealogical chart. The magnitude of the distance is labeled at the top of the genealogical chart, which requires an artificial choice of the coefficient of the distance d. In this paper, it is the choice of d = 15 that yields a more reasonable classification of villages. Therefore, based on the classification results obtained from d = 15, the characteristics of different types of villages were further analyzed.
Comments 22: Is there a reason for choosing the "SPSS+GIS" methodology over other spatial analysis tools?
Response 22: Thank you for pointing this out. Because Linxia Prefecture is in the transition zone of Chinese and Tibetan culture and has long been subjected to the squeeze of the two major cultures of China and Tibet, and at the same time it is in the Tibetan Plateau and the Loess Plateau, the natural climate of the altitude of the distinctive vertical difference. Under the overlapping influence of these various factors, its traditional villages in the commonality and mixed with multiple heterogeneous phenomena, this paper addresses three fundamental scientific questions: (1) How to accurately describe the spatial morphology of villages in Linxia Prefecture? (2) How to systematically classify traditional villages and subsequently distinguish and compare their distinctive characteristics? (3) What are the spatial distribution patterns of traditional village types in Linxia Prefecture, and what factors influence these patterns? The "SPSS+GIS" orientation method is more suitable for the study of the spatial patterns of traditional villages in this region and type, which can not only accurately describe the spatial patterns of traditional villages and grasp their regular features accordingly, but also further explore the regional cultural and geographic differences from a macroscopic point of view, so as to reveal the spatial patterns of multi-ethnic areas.
Comments 23: In your analysis, have you considered the impact of modern developments or urbanization on the spatial morphology of these traditional villages?
Response 23: Thank you for pointing this out. The spatial form of traditional villages in the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture area is well preserved. As the rural revitalization policy proposed by the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China may carry out protection, renovation, renewal, and new construction according to the different conditions of villages, these changes will be based on the traditional spatial pattern. This paper can provide a scientific basis for decision-making on the planning, utilization, and restoration of traditional villages. This paper is a theoretical study based on the background of the transformation and reconstruction of rural development in the context of the current integrated development of urban and rural areas in China, but the focus of the study is on theoretical investigations of the shape characteristics of traditional villages, the distribution status of their constituent elements, and their spatial evolution patterns to respect and preserve the originality of the villages as a prerequisite for the provision of ideas.
Comments 24: It may be beneficial to include a comparison with other regions or historical periods to contextualize the findings within a broader spatial or temporal framework.
Response 24: It's a good point you're making. This study area is an area within the Longxi ethnic corridor, an area of marginalization and intermingling of ethnic groups. This research methodology suits the northwest multi-ethnic region, including the Longnan, Ganna, and Hexi corridors next to Linxia Prefecture. The current practice in Linxia Prefecture is just the beginning, and subsequent work will gradually expand to the entire northwest territory.
Comments 25: A deeper exploration of how these spatial morphologies influence the social and cultural aspects of village life could add another dimension to the study.
Response 25: Thank you for pointing this out. Yes, spatial form does affect the social and cultural aspects of rural life in Linxia. "Bafang Shisanhang" in Linxia is a traditional Hui community with a history of several hundred years. It features a unique spatial layout characterized by courtyard-style residences and a network of intersecting streets and alleys organized around eight mosques. The residents in Bafang prioritize the protection of their privacy when building residential houses. The labyrinth layout of streets and alleys provides local residents with a sense of seclusion in their private lives. This reflects the self-organizing growth process of Bafang shisanhang, in the process of community growth, has developed as a protective mechanism for the local residents, ensuring their privacy and well-being. These have been discussed in the paper. Please refer to Section 4.3.1 for details. (Line 511-522, page 17).
Comments 26: Incorporating residents' perceptions or experiences could provide a more holistic understanding of the spatial morphology's impact.
Response 26: Yes, I agree with your reference to a fuller understanding of the impact of spatial patterns through the perception or experience of residents. This also provided me with new research perspectives, but considering the limited length of the paper and ensuring the core analysis. I will try to incorporate research in this direction in my next work.
Comments 27: The manuscript presents valuable insights into the spatial morphology of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture. The use of "SPSS+GIS" demonstrates a robust methodological approach, and the findings contribute to the understanding of rural spatial practices in multiethnic landscapes. However, to strengthen the manuscript for publication, addressing the aforementioned suggestions would be beneficial. With these improvements, the paper would make a significant contribution to the field of rural planning and ethnic studies.
Response 27: Thank you for your professional suggestions on my paper, I also benefited a lot from it. I have revised the paper based on your valuable comments and have responded to the changes line by line.
Comments 28: The paper often uses long and complex sentences, which could be broken into shorter ones for clarity.
Response 28: Thank you for pointing this out. In the resubmitted manuscript, I have broken down the long and complex sentences of the whole article to make it easier to read and understand. Changes are highlighted in green. Please refer to the manuscript for specific changes.
Comments 29: The paper could benefit from a more comprehensive discussion on how the spatial morphology is influenced by modernization, urbanization, and sociocultural changes.
Response 29: Thank you for pointing this out. Yes, this is a very good question. The development of China's reform and opening up for more than 40 years, modernization, urbanization, and social and cultural changes have indeed had a great impact on the spatial patterns of traditional villages. But these effects are mainly in eastern China. The urbanization rate of Linxia Prefecture is 39.02%, and there is still a big gap between the urbanization level and China's average urbanization rate of 65.2%. At present, the vast rural areas of Linxia Prefecture still have a large number of traditional villages, maintaining the "authenticity of the countryside." However, modernization, urbanization, and social changes also have a certain impact on the spatial form of villages in this region. Due to the current central government's implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, which focuses on the government's macro-control and planning first and other strong measures, Therefore, I believe that the discussion of this content should be combined with the next steps in the planning and layout of traditional villages, as well as the decision-making process of renovation, utilization, repair, and preservation. The relevant discussion is therefore, I think, complex in content, and the content is appropriately elaborated in the revised draft submitted in the re-study, with specific, in-depth content that can be specifically discussed in a later study. Please refer to Section 4.1 of the manuscript for specific modifications. (Line 431-443, page 14).
Comments 30: The results from the GIS and SPSS analysis are presented, but there is a lack of depth in interpreting these results. Can the authors provide a more detailed explanation of how these results contribute to understanding the spatial morphology of the villages?
Response 30: I regret that my presentation lacked precision and clarity, which prevented some people from comprehending it. (1) provides an accurate quantitative description of the spatial morphology of traditional villages in Linxia Prefecture, leading to the characteristics of a more square-shaped village overall, more complex village boundaries, less dense residential buildings, smaller-scale villages, and the hierarchy's state of distribution. (2) uses cluster analysis to produce three sorts of traditional villages: multi-point concentration in the shape of a strip, cluster-intensive, and irregularly distributed. The village clusters of big dispersion, tiny clusters, and staggered and mixed distribution features were generated by further combining the GIS spatial analysis with it; concurrently, the spatial distribution differences of the three distinct areas were obtained. The phenomenon that traditional villages have a variety of heterogeneous qualities coupled with commonality is revealed by the first two conclusions. (3) Show that the three distinct spatial form types that characterize the phenomena are related to the commercial, subsistence, and resource modes of three distinct traditional village survival strategies. The intricate interplay between the region's many ethnic cultures and complicated topographical patterns produces the spatial operation law that shapes these traditional communities' spatial structure.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe comments are addressed.
